They call Harold Pinter one of the most prominent playwrights in our time. He is English--born in East London in the 30s--and gained popularity late in the 50s. I thought it was about time I started reading some of his works. I went to the library and picked up a few titles, one of which is "Moonlight," which is one of his later play.
I enjoyed the process of reading it. It was fun exploring these characters, and I found the dialogues intriguing. However, this is one of those eccentric plays wherein you have to be in a particular mood, or be a particular kind of reader/audience, to truly like it. It consists of seven characters: a dying father, his wife, his two sons, his daughter, his mistress, and his friend. The dying father recalls the memories of the people he loves, the two sons talk to each other in code to avoid confronting the issue, and the daughter is probably dead.
I often say that a good production can make a play good or bad. It is difficult, and I think wrong, to make a final judgment on any theatrical work. What I don't like on the page may be fantastic on stage, if it is interpreted by people who understand it in a certain way that I don't. I can say that what I find on the pages of this play does not amount to much; it was a fun read, and interesting at times, but I don't see how as a whole it conveys any strong message. I don't see the premise that drives it forward, and it doesn't leave me with any long-lasting impression. Does that make it a bad play? I don't know.
One of my most favorite things about going to the theater is seeing a play about which I know nothing of. It is nice to sit back and be told a story. If "Moonlight" were playing in my area, I might go see it and bring a friend or two. But as a work of literature, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
And I mean no disrespect to Pinter. After all, he is one of the most prominent playwrights in our time, and who am I to judge him?
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